Short hops and hard knocks with Red Sox beat writer Ian Browne.

Ellsbury makes history

While all the buzz at Fenway Park was over David Ortiz ending his home run drought — not to mention the Red Sox belting four homers in that same bottom of the fifth inning — center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury set a club record for an outfielder with 11 putouts and then tied a Major League record by collecting putout No. 12 on the final out of the game.

In the sixth inning, the speedster recorded his 11th putout of the night. Four Red Sox outfielders had made 10 putouts in a game. Who held that record previously? Ted Williams on Sept. 4, 1948, Tommy Umphlett on Aug. 16, 1953, Fred Lynn on June 4, 1978 and Lee Tinsley on Aug. 14, 1995.

Ellsbury made several fine running catches at the wall, helping along Brad Penny, who turned in his best performance in a Red Sox uniform.

True, Youk was definately missed. Maybe the press gets off Papi’s back too! 6 run lead or not, we’ve got to stop leaving dudes in scoring position, especially when they get there with less than 2 out!!

Very much agree on how well they used Bard, Julia, esp. in this situation, with a lead to work with! Good work by Tito indeed! (We just needed to make sure the Jays did not duplicate our rally!) ;)
Way to go, OKI! Finish the game guys! GO SOX!

That is a risk, DGN, esp. from the beginning of the year. Oki has had some shorter outings lately, though (same with Ramirez), so IF the starters go farther into the game (as tonight), Oki, et al, SHOULD be fine! If the starters don’t go deep again, though, it will become a problem! GO SOX!

So, Mike, they only let you near the coffee and the bad decisions after 25 years, eh? Gotta get some “good decision” years under your belt (and some Japanese tea?) to even out for the bad decisions?? ;)

My good decision years are behind me. I gave up tea and took up saki! I have the best dudes on the planet working for me, so the times where I have to get involved with the nuts and bolts are rare. The bad decisions are mainly the ones where I have to negatively impact somebody’s life to meet the mission and I have to decide who gets the call. I wouldn’t rather do anything else!

I was playing bartender last weekend (I had duty so I couldn’t drink), I made this thing that tastes like a Gummy Bear and bites like a Grizzley… Over ice…2oz Southern Comfort, 2oz Amaretto, 1 oz Melon Liquer, splash of Grenadine and fill with equal parts Orange and pineapple juice…dare you to try one…

Hope Lester can keep it going tomorrow. It would be great to see the Sox only a half game out after their bad start and the Jays great start. Since starting the season 2 and 6 the Sox have gone 22 and 10. Pretty good, I’d say. Once the starting pitching gets dialed in this team will be hard to stop. And the pitching seems to be coming around.

Mike, safe travels to Japan! Stay safe and strong there–you and your dudes! (Have you converted any of those Yankee-fan dudes, yet, though? That might be your most-important task!) ;)
Paul, you are right that Saito’s delivery looks a lot like Dice-K’s–many of the Japanese pitchers have that same delivery form (including some of the ones I saw on Japan’s WBC team!). I think that is very intentional, and very programmatic. Okajima seems to be a rare exception! Same with the batters. If you compare the swings (if not the results!) of Fukudome and Ichiro, they also look very similar in form. Again, that appears to be very intentional!
Congrats again to Big Papi (Keep the HRs coming!) and to Jacoby (glad you tied the MLB fielding record!)! Great game tonight! GO SOX!

A great night for the Sox! H.R. Derby at the old yard and to my surprise–Ortiz was involved. Someone once said–“H.R.’s are like bannana’s they come in bunches”. We’ll see if that is the case for Ortiz. Props to Francona–sits Ortiz and then his second game back, the big D.H. goes deep. More importantly Boston is sending a message to the Jays this week at Fenway. If Boston wins tonight, the Jays would have gone 1-5 against Boston and N.Y.–safe to say that record against Boston and N.Y. will not get the job done in the East. After Halladay this Toronto team has nothing on the mound. I’m amazed the Jays have done this well, props to Cito Gaston.

Lymon Bostock, my older brother had a R.C. Cola can with Bostock on the front of it.—long ago my friends.

This is one stat in baseball I am not impressed with. Ellsbury made some routine catches out there, he did make a couple of nice snags though. He does cover alot of ground out there. Kelly Leak ( the burnout playing baseball ) from the Bad News Bears would be proud. Didn’t he have all the putouts for the Bears way back when??? LOL!!

Brian:
The Jays just had 1 win out of 5 games against the Boston and NY as we know. The Jays have yet to play the TB. After all said and done the race will predictedly be between the NY and Boston. The NYY ( 8 winning streak) are on fire right now and are approaching the Boston’s winnng streak at 11.
With Big Papi’s HR, he will be secured at 3 hole for a while. The difference is having Youk back at the lineup.
Who would have thought that the Sox’s 4 & 5 starters have more wins and more reliable than Beckett, Lester and
Dice-K combined thus far.

I don’t even think about the Yankees. I have stated on here before, if Boston plays the way they are capable of..Boston should win the division with 95-97 wins. The biggest difference between the Sox, Yankees and Rays is the Boston bullpen. The Red Sox bullpen is stacked, the Yankees and Rays have big questions with there pen!! The lineups are pretty much equal.

Beckett, Lester and Dice-K need to step it up and pitch the way they are capable of. Masterson will make that bullpen even stronger! As of right now, Saito and Jones are the weak links in that pen. Saito has had some scoreless appearances as of late, a very good sign. Jones has done a decent job so far but I wouldn’t trust him with a lead, not yet!

The Jays are a nice story and Gaston has done a terrific job but Toronto is fooling themselves if they think they can contend. I have heard some people say they could be the Rays of 2009, dream on as I say! I’m guessing the Jays end up with 85 wins.

Boston also has Smoltz ( just got married ) and the youngsters waiting in the wings. Alot of options for the Red Sox when it comes to starting pitching. The Yankees don’t have those options and T.B. has Price waiting in the wings, he will be special for years, everyone knows that. T.B. made a mistake in the off-season when they dealt Edwin Jackson. Joyce ( no relative of mine ) who they got for Jackson is hanging out in A.A.A. Strange trade by the Rays.

Hi Brian: Agree with everything you said. Hunter will likely be sent down to Pawtuckett after tonight’s game to make room for Dice-K. If Beckett, Lester, and Dice-K were back to their shape and form 90%, the Red Sox are unstoppable. If the Jays can’t beat the Yanks and the Red Sox, no way the Jays are the Rays of 2008. The Sox pen looks more awesome with Masterson’s return,
Rumors were that the Sox were shopping for Aubrey Huff or Nick Johnson. Big Papi’s blast last night might have put the thought to rest for a while. Go for the sweep.

Lymon Bostock, now there’s a name from the past.. signed a huge contract, I think with the Angels didnt perform up to his prior level and GAVE BACK part of his contract… Could you see that happening in todays Baseball?? … then he died way too young…

Eckersley was interviewed on ESPN Underground and said:” If Lester puts the hammer down and pours gas on his cheese it will be King Crimson for the Sox tonight. And now that Candyman(Papi) has his candystick smokin’ it will be all rainbows-over-the-monster from now on. ” Wha…….?????

The other day with a man on first and third and two outs, Eck said that if Lugo, who was at first, chose to steal second, and was caught. Then it wouldn’t matter much because Ellsbury would leadoff the next inning. Except it always matters, but it matters more when there is also a runner on third. If Lugo was going to steal then he better not get caught and take themselves out of that inning.

So then Eck says: “Baseball’s not rocket surgery, the pitcher tosses a seed , you plant it in the felt between the lines. If you’re on the hill you hurl back and unscrew a BB through the hole in the joker’s swing. Gas, we’re talking gas here. If I’ve got the hot cheese there’s no ropes off the boards.”
Ellen, can you translate?

For example: “rocket surgery=rocket science” (as if the rocket actuallly needed a bypass procedure!)
“Seed=ball”, “plant it” (since seeds must be planted to grow!) between the lines (i.e., fair ball–foul balls cannot yield results (hits/runs, etc.). “Unscrew(=”throw”) a BB though the hole in the joker’s (read, Batter’s) swing” (the pitcher simply pitches the fastball past the batter) Gas=higher speed on the fastball, to blow it past the batter. “hot cheese”= “gas”=”speed on the fastball”–so the batter cannot “rope”=”laser”= “hit hard” the ball off the “boards” (i.e., the Green Monster)=no 2B or HRs.
How’s that? Does that work for translation? Does that enhance our “baseball lexicon”? ;) Hmmm!

Arnie… my aim is bad with a Bazooka.. just give me slingshot and some stinky cheese or a pea shooter with some poison seeds!!! lol I could also drop a bucket of paint on them.. oh and the paint is made by Jack Johnson…Maybe Yogi should be in on this discussion too.
rocket surgey=brain science….
The one thing that made me really laugh last night was when Eck was talking about how when he saw Nolan Ryan throw for the 1st time up close. He said Ryan really had the gas that day and from that day forward Eck has had a fascination with gas… (I know what he meant) a bit weird if you ask me…. me??? I try to stay away from anyone who has gas!!!! LOL

Hey, Ellen, did you ever make it far enough up I-95 to fire that slingshot with the stinky cheese? ;) Did you hit Eck with it? By the way, aren’t you glad I’m not color-commentating at NESN, if I can translate Eck? Hmmm!…;)

Yogi should definitely be in on this discussion! Supplement some of the AFLAC commercial comments in there (“And they give you cash, which is just as good as money!”) I BUST A GUT every time that ad would come on! ;)

I do read and write French (better than I speak it), I read some Greek and Hebrew (from my seminary days), some Latin, and some Farsi (the Persian language). I took entire classes in Spanish in my seminary days (all texts and assignments were in Spanish). I have also, with my study of Chuch History, read a lot of Latin and French.

A little story for you guys…When my wife and I moved to Asheville, we of course expected to get the ususal Southern drawl. So we moved into an apartment complex, and we’d say hi to everyone, and outside of the Rental Office/ Maintenance Staff, NO ONE (literally!) who was “White” spoke to us–just the Black folk. These White folk all spoke Russian or Ukrainian (very similar languages)! I found this out from their teen-aged kids who spoke SOME English! NONE of the adults did! I later had many of these people as my ESL students, so I learned some Russian as I taught them English (some of their kids were in our GED studies). But you talk about culture shock! That was something else!

Just got home. We have a young manager learning and it’s better to let her do it while I’m not there. It’s so weird to drive home when it’s still light out. Looks like the Sox are well on their way to making the Jays suffer.

Kevin looked alot better in a REDSOX uni!! not bad as an Oriole,, but that BlueJays uniform does nothing for him… but you can always tell just by looking, even from afar that its KEV-LAR… He may have played for teh Marlins, Oriloles and Jays, but he’ll always be a REDSOX in MY heart!

Greg, my grandparents are all from Germany and eastern Europe and they at first spoke German at home until they realized their mistake when my oldest aunt came in the house crying that the kids would only speak gibberish to her. So after that they only spoke English at home. It was a different time, there were immigrants everywhere but they spoke so many languages and there was no way the “locals” could accomodate them all by learning 10 languages. Plus, all my grandparents knew they were here for good(unlike my mostly Mexican staff who think that in a few years they’ll go back home) they had to learn the language and blend in, become American as best they could. I’m not saying that a second , or in your case 11th, language isn’t a good thing, but the times were different.

Yanks still hot — O’s making a game of it though — the good news (I suppose) is that the Yanks are still giving up a fair amount of runs — perhaps that means they still aren’t that tough when you have decent pitching.

I am well aware of that, Arnie; my folks, both being of German descent, had the same thing happen. I understand the dynamic–I’ve witnessed it closely with my former students. They are still not mutually exclusive ideas–learning English, and retaining your own language. But I VERY WELL understand the tension!

I don’t know about “tension” Greg. It was more a matter of,”We’re Americans now. We don’t need German anymore. Time to move on.” It wasn’t as if they had left a place that was all sweetness and light, they were leaving a bad place full of poverty and with no chance for advancement. I also remember the old relatives speaking German and learned some myself, but it just wasn’t important. They had a different outlook on things.

For the first time all season, the Red Sox rotation has had 1 turn thru and have gone into the 7th inning, AMEN!! I never ever thought that it would take this long. Boston continues to dominate at home. I would love too see them go on the road and win some series! With the pitching they have, that should happen more!

Bay needs to be inked but I have said that way too many times. Theo should have inked him up during the winter but couldn’t. Not a good move by Theo and the Red Sox. I will not write that on here anymore, I have said it too many times. It frustrates me, my gripe of the night!

It is a different outlook on things, no question. It is a tension where I worked, though, where people (esp. the Russians and Estern Europeans) were VERY proud of their language and culture. Same with the Latinos I worked with, would want to retain their culture, and wanted to learn English. I admired both groups–some of the hardest workers I knew. But yes, it was, and is, a tension.

Ramirez doesn’t seem to have it tonoght as he had in his past relief roles. They seem to be getting good wood on the ball and he doesn’t seem to have the control he had previously shown. Let’s hope he gets back in his groove. Tito have someone ready.

Greg, what you see as tension with a negative connotation, I see as people working with different skills and and different ideas about things, and trying to make the best out of the fantastic opportunity they have here. I see it as a positive for everybody. But it isn’t the same society as when our grandparents were here. There will never be a time of smooth sailing when everyone gets along. But the folks I work with are trying their best and I give them a lot of credit and respect.

No it isn’t Arnie. It was a different time when our grandparents were here–their language was a security blanket (and their culture) that insulated them from a hostile world, real and perceived. Once they all began to speak the others’ common language, and demonstrate that they “fit in” they were more and more accepted, and there was less fighting among those disparate groups–whether German, Irish, Italian, or otherwise. The fact that we still refer to our own cultures, and where we came from, demonstrates what I mean, though–we lose something when we lose that part of our heritage, like we were losing something of our identity. The students I worked with all felt that to one degree or another, even as they were PROUD to learn English. And yes, they see it as “for the best”, no question. I chose the words I did deliberately.

Arnie, in short, you can take my “connotation” however you wish. I have taught many people like the ones you work with, and the ones I’ve lived around, to love and respect the English language. I want more than anything for them to adjust to American life, and to appreciate the opportunities they and their kids have to learn English (or “American”, as opposed to British, as we referred to it!). They were, and are, some of the most industrious and studious people I’ve known, and I have so much respect for how hard they worked to learn English. I do find it frustrating when the children (whether in Asheville or LA) of many of those parents have lost their language, and have to go back and learn their native language in schools! Our minds have great capabilities to learn more than one language, and we Americans get chastised (rightly, many times) for not learning another language, when it would often be in our interests to do so! THAT more than anything, is what drives me to help people learn English, and work on my part to learn other languages!
(STEPS DOWN FROM SOAPBOX)

Quite a lively discussion regarding “other” languages.. I for one get really tired of seeing (in south florida) people, mostly hispanic and haitian who have been in this country for a great many years and who refuse to learn the English language. If you were to go to a foreign country say, Crazil, Venezuela, or even Paris France and wanted to take a drivers license test, do you think that they would administer in in English? No, however here in South Florida you can take it in Creole, Spanish, French etc. We make it too easy for people here NOT to learn English. Some roads signs are bi/tri/lingual. In the same breath, you must learn the language in order to become an American citizen, so therefor it tells me just how unimportant it is to so many people here to become American Citizens; they won’t and DON’T learn English. You’ll see a man or woman who has been here in the USA for 30 years being interviewed on a local newscast and they have to bring in an iterperter for them….. Makes me VERY ANGRY!! Welcome to America, NOW LEARN THE LANGUAGE!!! (she steps away from the soapbox)

How sweep it is! What is the FO waiting for? Give JBay the contract. If he wants the moon, give it to him! Theo, listen to the theme song from”To Sir with Love”.
When Ellsbury gets on base, Pedey should give him a chance to steal. The 5th run was a manufactured run.
If the Dice-K can provide 6 strong innings tonight and Masterson, Oki, Saito are ready, another win is like a bird in the hand. Santana’s ERA is above 6 in Fenway. Can’t wait to see Santana, Dice-K match up.

I’m very scared. I’m hoping that Dice-K is at 100%… I heard Tito on ESPN Radio yesterday and he says that he wouldnt have him on the schedule to pitch tonight if he wasnt absolutely 100 percent. I have to trust the Skip…
It would be wonderful to beat Santana tonight!!

I went to see Cirque du Soleil last night so I didn’t see the game live. By the way, if you haven’t seen that show (and there are several different shows) and you have the chance to see it ……. see it. Pretty spectacular stuff. However, I did record the game. How great it is to be able to watch a game in a little over an hour.

Lester had a pretty good outing, but still got banged around pretty good. He was lucky to escape only giving up one run. The Jays are a good hitting club. Despite his home run, Papi is still pretty much flailing haplessly away at the plate. Maybe he’ll start to hit, but so far, I don’t see any significant developments. You gotta be swinging pretty late to foul a ball off your back leg. Not to take anything away from the moment of his first home run, but a wind blown fly ball doesn’t qualify as a prototypical Papi gargantuan blast to me. I hope the big guy can get it together.

Looks like Lugo is beginning to shape up as the every day shortstop. That’s a little scary. I would say he is at least a step or two slower this year and his lateral range is down to about zero.

Reading through some of the comments above, I’d have to say Eck is one of the worst around. His cheese and gas, which initially were mildly entertaining, are starting to stink. He can’t tell the difference between a fast ball and a breaking ball and as he would say, “I don’t want to talk bad about him or take anything away from him, but he’s terrible.” You see, I can identify with Eck because if I were in there with Don Orsillo, I would be exactly the same. Listening to him is like listening to myself while I’m watching the games. I’m very critical, no room for error, and can’t understand why the Sox can’t pound a guy with an 88 mph fast ball and a rolling curve. Also can’t understand why a Sox pitcher would ever walk a guy or fall behind in the count. Just doesn’t make sense. Aren’t you all glad I’m not up there with Eck?

I agree wholeheartedly with you, Ellen. It drives me crazy that folks (from any country) would come here and NOT learn English. We don’t need to give them reasons not to learn OUR language–esp. if they want to earn a living here! On that point, Arnie and I wholeheartedly agree!

I’m nervous about Dice-K myself! He was the definition of “effectively wild” (and lucky) last year. I don’t know how successful he’ll be against Santana. But I don’t see him being more successful than he was in 07 (when he went 15-12) if he is still that wild.

Hey guys,
Lugo…our everyday shortstop. The idea alone reminds me of a bowel resection. Please LET IT NOT BE TRUE. Bring back Lowrie!
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Going to be tough tonight for the Sox but I have a feeling they will surprise us. They are tough to beat at home but what a rude awakening — Santana is NASTY.
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Don’t forget to check out my blog…please…
.http://www.redsoxfunhouse.blogspot.com
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It’s a labor of love and you can leave feedback now. Idiot me figured it out. I would welcome articles, stories, etc. That would be fabulous. Just let me know. Come on guys…make this blog a fantastic site to visit!

There might be a reason for pitting DiceK against Santana- If Santana is on he is truly going to be difficult to beat. Putting DiceK up may be a way for saying let’s see if he has recovered completely. If he is- then it could be a tough battle. If he is not- then it’s better to lose against Santana and take the next two against the Mets. I’m not saying let’s throw DiceK under the train but—— well you know what I mean.

This is from March 16 2009 on Bay and why Theo can’t get the extension.

“You play for six years and you earn the right to be a free agent, and you don’t want to sell yourself short,” Bay said to MLB.com. “That doesn’t mean that there doesn’t have to be some concessions. But you put yourself in this position, and I think it’s in my best interest to kind of explore.”

I look forward to your joining us, Metsgl! Julia, any word about whether popejonash will be on, also! GO SOX!
Par4jsja, I think we are well aware of the reason why Jason Bay has not signed the extension. I have seen the exact quote. It will not stop us from advocating for Theo to re-sign him, and many (if not most) of us are pretty optimistic that he will re-sign with us, and that Theo will pull out any rabbit from the hat to get it done.

Par4jsja, those are interesting comments by Jason Bay and he is absolutely right. He has performed, he deserves to get paid. That being said, I think he’ll come to terms with the Sox. He fits in perfectly and has a chance to win here. He’s not going to go back to a second rate team. It would be nice to get him wrapped up for 4 or 5 years.

Dice-K is an expensive proposition in terms of wear and tear on the bullpen. If the Sox get 6 innings out of him, that’s a great night. I just feel like he has good enough stuff to not have to pitch like he does. He needs to be reoriented in his pitching style so the Sox can get more out of him. Wake gets paid a third of the money and is worth three times as much to the team.

Stuck on an hour delayed packed Amtrak train to Boston, lady across the aisle is gabbing incessantly and very loudly about totally useless stuff (not meaningful stuff like Sox baseball :) — she is driving me batty — lets get this game started so at least I use MLB gameday and Dice-K pitching to try to block her out!!!!!

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